being a florentine lady

Finally in desperation I tried a Don Quixote-like venture of observing that the young woman looked just like a Florentine painting of a woman holding a lute. This touched the magic of the two-dimensional world in her, and I learned the wonderful fact that if one will treat a woman like a lady she will respond by being one. The conversation flowed, and there was warm, interesting personal contact. My friend objected later, however, telling me that I had ruined their relationship. He complained that she was so busy being a Florentine lady holding a lute that she was interested in nothing else. Such is the power of inner truth.